2025 Indianapolis Juneteenth parade canceled

INDIANAPOLIS - A Juneteenth parade that was slated to run through downtown Indianapolis this summer has been canceled.




James Webb, co-founder and executive director of Indy Juneteenth, announced the parade's cancellation last week. In a Facebook post, Webb indicated that the parade was cancelled "due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control."




Both Indy Juneteenth and the City of Indianapolis confirmed that issues related to the parade's route and timing forced its cancellation. The City of Indianapolis and Indy Juneteenth had been intermittently communicating with each other about the parade since last August.




Before the parade was canceled, the City of Indianapolis and Indy Juneteenth explored numerous options related to the parade's route and date. City ordinances, federal and state laws and previously scheduled events made it difficult for Indy Juneteenth to finalize and formally document parade details with the City of Indianapolis.




As the planning process for the parade continued, routes along Indiana Avenue, Massachusetts Avenue and IU Indy's campus were all proposed.




"When we applied for the parade and sent the information for a route back in August, we were reaching back out to the city, getting certain approvals," Webb said. "By February, we reached out to the Mass Ave Theatre District to maybe get on board with having a parade on Mass Ave. And we were informed that parades are no longer allowed on Mass Ave by IMPD.




"So, then we tried to get the parade back on the designated route that they wanted us to do. But by that time, a 5K event was already in that location. So, we tried to find different routes throughout the city, and it just didn't become realistic that it could really happen. So, we had to postpone it just for this year. But we're excited, and it'll be back bigger and better than ever in 2026."




In past years, Indy Juneteenth had held its parade along Indiana Avenue. In a statement sent to FOX59/CBS4, a spokesperson for the City of Indianapolis detailed the complications that both Indy Juneteenth and City officials faced while trying finalize and document this year's parade details.




"After holding the parade on Indiana Avenue last year, organizers were interested in exploring other options this year," a City spokesperson wrote in a statement. "Unfortunately, the locations and the timing they requested coincided with special events permits that had already been issued or required permission from additional organizations.




"We completely understand the heartbreak that comes with the decision to cancel the parade, as thousands of people attended (the Juneteenth parade) last year. There were just a lot of outside and existing factors that affected the viability of this year's parade. We do hope there is an opportunity to work with them in the future and help them host a safe and successful event that honors the Juneteenth holiday."




Though this year's Juneteenth parade in Indianapolis was canceled, Webb is still confident Indy Juneteenth's 8th Annual Juneteenth Celebration will offer plenty of excitement.




Indy Juneteenth is still planning to put on the following events later this year:

• Juneteenth Pageant at Athenaeum Basile Theatre - June 7





• Juneteenth College and Career Conference at Indianapolis Public Library (40 E. St. Clair St.) - June 12





• Juneteenth Amateur Boxing Showcase at Speedway Events Center - June 14





• Juneteenth Fireworks show at Sarkine Park in Avon - June 19





• Juneteenth Festival at Indiana State Fairgrounds - June 21

"We've been doing this since 2016 - before (Juneteenth) was a national holiday," Webb said. "And you all have been supporting us ever since then. And so just continue to trust and support us like you always have, and we truly appreciate it."




More information on the events Indy Juneteenth has planned for this year is available here.





via: https://fox59.com/news/2025-indianapolis-juneteenth-parade-canceled/